Missile restraining means



Sept. 14, 1965 M. J. BAUER ETAL 3,205,773

MISSILE RESTRAINING MEANS Filed Feb. 12, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ANTHONY J. HOGEN MYRO/V J BAUER M VLMALW BY ATTORNEY AGENT Sept. 14, 1965 M. J. BAUER ETAL MISSILE RESTRAINING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1964 FIG. 2

Sept. 14, 1965 J. BAUER ETAL MISSILE RESTRAINING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1964 Sept. 14, 1965 M. J. BAUER ETAL MISSILE RESTRAINING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 12, 1964 United States Patent 3,205,778 MISSILE RESTRAINING MEANS Myron J. Bauer, St. Paul, and Anthony J. Hogen, Minueapolis, Minn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy I Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 346,059 1 Claim. (Cl. 891.7)

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 259,763, filed Febr-aury 19, 1963, now

abandoned.

This invention relates to missile launchers of the type having an attached magazine located below, and serving as a support for the launcher guide arm and, more particularly, to that structure of the magazine pertaining to the storage of missiles and the prevention of vertical movement of the missiles which might be caused by inadvertent ignition.

Missile launchers of the type having a vertical storage of missiles in a magazine located below the launcher guide arm have some mechanism for selecting and hoisting a missile to the launcher guide arm. In the case to which the invention pertains, the magazine consists of an outer shell and an inner and concentric cylindrical structure which remain stationary and a ready-service ring which consists of two concentric circles of individual cells, one adjacent to the inner structure and one next to the outer shell. These two series of integral cells in the readyservice ring are roated into a position where the hoisting mechanism may selectively engage any missile in either the outer ring or the inner ring and hoist such missile vertically onto the launcher guide arm. All other missiles located in either of the rings must have safety means for restraining them against vertical movement. These restraining rings are located respectively on the inner structure and the outer shell at a vertical height to be engaged by the forward shoe of the missile upon the least vertical movement, so that should the missile, while in the storage compartment be inadvertently initiated, it Would be retained in its position until the propellant could be extinguished or allowed to burn itself out without damage to any of the other missiles or to the launcher.

An object of the present invention is to provide, in a missile launching system, means for retaining missiles in the storage compartment should there be inadvertent ignition of the missile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in the magazine of the missile launching system, a ready service ring having a plurality of storage cells arranged in inner and outer concentric circular rings, having mechanical retaining members located above the forward shoes of the missiles and preventing vertical movement of the missiles while permitting rotative movement. The retaining members are interrupted and form a pathway at the hoist station permitting vertical movement of a selected missile.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of the outer shell of the magazine showing the outer retaining ring in position with other parts of the magazine omitted;

FIG. 2 is a view of the inner cylindrical structure of the magazine showing the retaining ring in position, other parts being omitted;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view showing the relative position of the missiles and the retaining rings;

FIG. 4 is a view of the magazine partially broken away to show the hoisting mechanism, the inner structure and the retaining rings;

3,205,778 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 FIG. 5 is a detailed view through the interior of the magazine showing the top of the ready service ring 45 and the retaining rings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, the outer shell 12 of a magazine, for a missile launching system, encloses a ready service ring for storage of a plurality of missiles. The missiles are stored in a plurality of cells arranged in two concentric rings. The cells 41 of the outer ring are located adjacent to the inner wall of the outer shell and the cells 42 of the inner ring are located adjacent to the inner structure 13. Each cell is provided with a magazine rail 44,

which guides the missile when hoisting.

The cells are integral with ready service ring structure 45 which is supported vertically by the roller assemblies 47 which are fastened to the upper rim of the ready service ring. These rollers side on a roller path 48 that is mounted on the outer shell. The ready service ring is rotated by the attached ring gear 46, to position ascribed missile into hoist position. When in this position, the guide arm may be rotated to select a missile from either the outer ring 41 or the inner ring 42. A hoisting apparatus described in Patent 3,114,288 hoists the selected missile onto the launcher guide arm. There is only one position which will align the missile to be hoisted onto the arm. In all other annular positions a barrier identified as retaining rings prevents vertical movement of the missiles.

This barrier is in the form of arcuate sections 14 secured respectively to the outer shell and 25 to the inner structure to form interrupted circular barriers located in the path of vertical movement of the missiles. The interruption 15 (hoist position) in the otherwise circular barriers is just large enough to allow vertical passage of the missile. The arcuate sections 14 of retaining ring are secured to the outer shell at blocks 19 and are formed of an inner and an outer arcuate wall 18 and 17, respectively, joined by radial sections or gussets 21. The bottom section 22 adds to the strength and rigidity of the restraining barrier. and the gussets form an integral part of the retaining ring section. The inner circular barrier or retaining ring is secured directly to the outer surface of the inner structure. It has a pair of arcuate Walls 25 and 26, a bottom section 27 and radial gussets 28 which form an integral part.

Referring to FIG. 3, a single missile 31 of the outer ring is shown in position with the forward shoe 32 of the missile located just below the restraining barrier. A missile 33 of the inner ring is shown with shoe 34 just below the restraining barrier which is attached to the inner cylinder 13.

Should the missile, through accident, become ignited, the missile will be retrained from vertical movement by engagement of the forward shoe of the missile with the restraining barrier.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claim the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

In a missile launching system having a launcher guide arm and storage of missiles in a vertical position in a mag- :azine located below said launcher guide arm comprising:

an outer shell of the magazine;

an inner cylindrical structure concentric with said outer shell and forming a central structure of said magazine;

a ready service ring structure with a plurality of missile storage cells arranged circular, adjacent to the inner wall of the outer shell;

The bottom section, the arcuate walls an additional plurality of missile storage cells arranged circular and concentric with the first mentioned ring and said inner structure and adjacent to the outer wall of the cyclindrical inner structure;

means for rotating said ready service ring structure;

and

References Cited by the Examiner a plurality of arcuate sections secured to the inner wall of the outer shell and to the outer wall of the inner UNITED STATES PATENTS cylindrical structure to form substantially circular 2,456,620 12/48 Chadwick et Y barriers located just above the missile cells and inter- 10 2,995,936 3/61 Caflb rupted by an opening in each of the barriers sutfi- 3,065,673 11/62 Hereth ciently large and aligned to permit the passage of a 3,133,939 6/64 Lewis et a1 single missile, each of said arcuate sections being of rigid construction and formed with an inner and outer arcuate Wall, a bottom plate integral with the walls and formed with spaced openings and radial parti- 1 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner. 

